Printing mechanism.



PATENTED FEB. 6, 1906.

J. 0. BARCLAY. PRINTING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.24, 1905.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

, WITNESSES No. 811,995. PATENTED FEB. 6, 190a.

' J. 0. BARCLAY.

PRINTING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 24, 1905.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

- ESSE w APPLICATION FILED MAE.24, 1905.

- PATENTED FEB. 6, 1906.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3 WITNESSES:

INVENTOR i l/M1114 Ia: 2,4 615M24 BY MSMMM.

ii'niriiii srii rns rA'rEnT oi ricn .IUHN (J. BARCLAY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,.ASSIGNO.R. TO WESTERN UNION 'IIILEGRAPH COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATIONOF NEV YOR- i i.

Pl' IllNTll lC- MEIQEHANNSWL Patented Feb. 6, 1906.

Application and March 24, 1905. Serial N0. 251,304.

In ufi' whom it Ill/(by concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN G. BARCLAY, a citizen of the L ited States, residing in the city, county, and State of New York, have in vcnted certain new and useful Improvements in Printing Mechanism; and Trio hereby de-2 clare the following to be a full, clear, and X' act description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it ap-. pertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in printing mechanism, and particularly to that class thereof wherein selecting devices each corresponding to one or more of the characters to be printed and normally out of opera? tive connection with a relatlvely movable drivingmember are arranged each to be engaged operatively with the said driving member when the corresponding character is to be printed. j l

The object of my invention is to prevent the missing of characters by such printing mechanism when operated at high speed.

In the accompanying drawings I illustrate my invention as elnbodlcd in a telegraphprlnter described and claimed In my Patent No. 787,608, dated April 18, 1905, theprinting mechanism proper of which telegraph-- printer is substantially the printing mechanismol what is known as the Bhckcnsdcrfer Electric 'Pyped/Vritrm but my invention is applicable also to typewriters, and particularly to the Blickensderl er Electric T ype- Writer.

in said drawings, Figure 1 shows an elevation of the left-hand side of the printing tele graph receiver, the selecting-relays and assoelated parts being omitted.

Figs. 2 to 5, inclusive, are detail views of the clutch employed for transmitting motion from a power or driving shalt to'the printing mechanism and of the associated parts, Fig. 2 showing a front view of the clutch and associated parts, Fig. 3 a longitudinal section thereof, Fig. 4 a

transverse section on the line X X of Figs 2 y allel to Fig. 1 and in such manner as to dis 7 thereof.

close the operation of the printing mechan' ism. 'Fig. 7 shows a detail top view of the form of device forlocking down the pawls 20 illustrated in 6. Fig, 8 is a detail side elevation of an alternative device which may be employed, and Fig. 9 is a detail top view Fig. 10 shows a detail front view of the printing mechanism, the carriage return and shift magnets, all but two of the printingmagnets being omitted anda portion of the locking device being broken away. The particular locking device illuslrated'in this ligure is of the type shown in Figs. 6 and '7.

. Fig. ,11 is a detail View showing three oi. the

type-wlreel-actuating pawls and the rods for actuating the same.

The urintmg mechamsm oi the machine herein i lustrated and described comprises noi'niall open clutch interposed between a power-s wit and a cam, a. driver mounted to be reciprocated by said cam when the latter rotates, mechanical selecting mechanism comprising a plurality of tumblers and coach ing gear-sectors corresponding to the diiier ent characters to be printed, and pawls car. ried by the gear-sectors normally out ol cngagcment. with the reciprocating driver, but each adapted to bedrawn into engagement therewith to effect the printing of a character corresponding to that gear-sector and its tumbler, said tumblers and their corresponding gear-sectors being of various diil'erent' gear ratios, so that the same movement .h reciprocating driver Wlll causcdlii "cnt tin blers to move diflercnt distances) The said mechanism also compr ses a type-wheel hav ing on its periphery the various characters in be printer said type-wheel mounted on :1

spindle adapted to be rotated to different po- 'sitionsto bring dill'erent characters :ol' the type-wheelinto position i or printing and'thcn to be locked against further rotationand" then swing bodily with the type-wheel,to-i

ward the platen, whereby the eliararler ol' saidwhecl then in position for printingibs caused to strike the surface to )e printed upon, and sald prlntmg nieclumism'lurther comprises means wherel'iv said tumblers,

though normally disengageiil from said type-.

wheel, are each brought into driving connec tlon therewith when operated by sold rcciproeating driver and then are caused to rotate the type-wheel until the latter is'locked after the desired character reaches the rinting position and to move said type-w eel toward the platen. In the operation of such printdown into position to be engaged by the said driver and simultaneously the said clutch is closed and the driver thereby caused to move forward to engage said pawl. Much trouble has been experienced, however, when such printing mechanism is operated rapidly, owing to the pawl rising under the influence of its spring before said pawl is engaged by the said driver. This, if it occurs, results in the missing ofa character. My invention coinprises means whereby said pawls when depressed are held down until after the reciprocating driver has engaged them.- By this means missing of characters is obviated even when the machine operates at very high speeds.

The printing mechanism employed in my rinting telegraph and as hreinbefore stated heretofore employed in a type-writer will be described only so far as is necessary to show how said mechanism is automatically operated and controlled by selecting mechanism according to my invention.

Referring first more particularly-to Fi s. 1 to 6, inclusive, numeral 1 designates t e main driving or power shaft, and 2 an electric motor driving said shaft through suitable gearing. Numerals 4 and ,5 designate a clutch on said driving-shaft, 4 being a stationary member and 5 being a sliding member :of the clutch 6 designates a cam on said shaft, which is driven through the clutch, and 7 a spring which tends to press clutch member 5 into engagement with clutch member 4. 8 designates a spacing-piece which normally engages a projection 40 of clutch member 5 and holds said clutch out of engagement with its coasting member 4. 9 designates a magnet for operating the clutch, 10 the armature of said magnet, 11 a rocker-arm connected .to the armature, and 12 a link connectedto said rocker-arm and to the spacing-v piece 8. Said spacing-piece is supported by a rocker-arm 13'. Cam 6 when rotated through the closing of clutch 4 5 pushes to the right of Fig. l a bar 14, supported by links 15 and .16

and arranged to transmit motion through leaf-spring 17 (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1) to the driver 18, which is a rockin member extending transversely across the front of the machine. In the rear of said driver are the gear-sectors 19, one for each division or character space of the type-wheel, and each of thesesectors carries a corres onding pawl 2O normally above and out o engagement with the driver 18 and held out of such an en times by a corresponding operating'rod 22,

mounted to slide up and down in suitable guides at the front of the machine and connected each to the armature-lever 23 of the corresponding printing-magnet 24. There are as many of these printing-magnets as there are gear-sectors. When one of said ma nets 24 is ener ized its corres ondin pawl 20 will be drawn down into engagement with the driver 18, and since, as hereinafter explained, the spacing-magnet 9 is energized when any one of the magnets, 24 is energized and the clutch 4 5 is thereby closed and the earn 6 caused to revolve and move the driver 18 forward it follows that as soon as anyone of the pawls 20 engages the driver 18 said pawl and its gear-sector are drawn forward.

Numeral 3 designates the type-wheel. It is mounted upon a spindle 25, itself mounted in a carrier (not shown) mounted upon a transverse rocker-shaft 27 having its bearings in the frame of the machine. Uponthe shaft 27 are mounted loosely two sleeves 28, one to the right and the other to the left of the spinble of sliding into the eccentric position and in so doing of engagingwith a projection 32 of the sleeve as soon as its gear-sector 19 is drawn forward by the driver 18. As'soon as the tumbler is so in engagement with the sleeve 28 it rotates said sleeve, and thereby rotatesthecorrespor 511g gear-sector 29 and the spindle 25, and lllflol efore the type-wheel 3.

In orderthat the different sectors 19- and tumblers 31 may rotate the type-wheel different distances from its normal position,

said sectors and their corresponding tumblers are of graduated pitch diameters. By so constructin driver 18w en it operates rotates the type these parts the reciprocating .upon such sleeve, as shown, so that it is capawh el different distances according to the .pa'wl which is drawn down into engagement with said driver. tated picks a bar 35 when the character on the type-wheel corresponding to the tumbler is approximately in printing position, and this bar 35 when so picked up causes a stop.

Each tumbler when so ropawl 86 to engage tlm teeth of a stop pingratchet 37, carried by the spindle 25, thus arresting the rotative movement of the typewheel. This locking of the type-wheel occurs-before the forward movement of the driver 18 is completed, and sun hrnovement of said driver continuing and the type-wheel harness being nolonger able to rotate the spindle of sald type wheel is caused to swing on shaft 27 asan axis toward the platen 38, can

r in the t e wheel with it causin said b l i:

type-wheel to strike a blow against the platen r, 38 or upon a piece oi paper carried thereby.

such shape that in the first instance it gives a gradually accelerated motion to said driver and then before the type-wheel reaches the platen permits the said driver to move forword by inertia in advance of the motion of the cam, so that the blow is struck by Line- ]nentuin. A stationary cam lO, Figs, 2 and 5, engages a projection 49 on clutch member 5 when said member 18 has about completed its movement, and said projection riding upon com opensthe clutch and then slips over the end of the cam 40 upon spacingpiece *3 and is arrested in such position by said spacing-piece. The opening of the clutch pr vents a repetition of the blowol the type- "wheel until one of the magnets 24-. is again. energized, and as soon as the blow is struck the various parts oi? the mechanism which are out of their normal positions are returned to normal position by the several retractlle springs shown.

Upon the spindle 535 of the" type -wheel there is a staravhcel 4.1, l -igs. 6 and 7, which when the tvpo-wheel begins to move toward the i sten is engaged by a centering-pin 42, Wh serves to bring the character to be struck into the exact position required to give a good impression. Spacing between letters and words is accomplished b'ya earn as, which is both a lace and an edge cam, its face operating a claw lever ts from left to right against the tension of a spring all and its edge operating a follower 17,- which presses said clawdever a l against a rack on the rear of the c I 'lheprinting in- E Vets correspond to the key'scd a typewriter andare in circuits controlled by selecting; rapchai n. such as that described in my Patents l lo. 758,732, dated May 3, 1904, and'hlo.'7ll5,076, dated March 21, 1905. It is'not necessary herein to de scribe such selecting inechan lSl'l'l The clutchmagnet 9 is in a common return of the cir cuits of the several printing-magnets, and therefore said spacing magnet is operated each time any one or the printing nagncts 24 is operated. These circuits and the inclusion of the spaeing inagnet and common re: turn are not illustr d, as the same willbe understood readil i those skilled in the a The circuitsoi t. irlntingmia'gnets 24 are. brolren very soon after said circuits are closed, and when the machine is operated at hi 11 speed it has been found that occasionally t e circuit oi a printing-1nagnet will be broken before the driver 18 has moved forward into engagement with the pawl depressed by the action of said printing-niagnet Such deenergization of the printinganagnet willresuit in the rise of the said pawl under the in lluence oi the corresponding springQl unless means he provided to prevent this and so will result in inissingthe character corresponding to the printing-unagnctenergized. To avoid such. missing of characters, 1 pro vide locking means such as illustrated in the drawings. Figs. 6 and 3' illustrate one type of locking means which may be employed,

the same comprising a plurality oi springpressed bolts 48, corresponding each to one. of the pawls 20, each such bolt normally opposite'and resting against a lug 49 of the corresponding rod 22, which lug projects over the corresponding pawl 20 and depresses said pawl when said rod is pulled down. Said bolts 48 are each arranged to move in over the corresponding his 49 when said lug is do pressed under theiniluencc of the actuatingspring, thereby preventing said rod 22 from rising even it the corresponding printinginagnet 24 is'deenergized before the driver 18 has picked up the particular pawl 20 which was depressed. liflissing of the character corresponding. to the pawl depressed, therefore, becomes impossible. As the driver 18 moves forward near the. end of its move- :ment it encounters a head of iii transverse universal bar 51 and moves said bar 51 forward. Such bar 51 in such movement encounters a lug 52 of the locking-bolt 4.8,which has moved inward. The universal bar 51 thereiiire trips the bolt 4-53, which holds down the pawl which was depressed, permitting the pawl to rise. This tripping occurs at about the time when the driver 18 reaches the limit of its forward movement, and there fore at a time such that release of thepawl will not interfere with the printing of the corresponding character. llhe locking-bolts l8 and parts associated therewith are carried by strains as, secured to the frame of the niachine. It will. be seen that this is a very simspring: actuated latches 55, suitably sup ported in proxiinitvtp the ends of the pawls IZO and corresponding each to one of said fpla'wls. jWhen any one of said pawls is depressed, the corresponding latch 55 is pressed in over the end of said pawl and holds the same depressed until the universal bar 51 in its forward movement sweeps aside said latch and releases said pawl. It will be obvious that this device is a mere equivalent of the locking device first described. I

It will be obvious that my invention as herein described is susceptible of many variations and modifications Without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention and also that certain parts may be used in connection with other parts of different construction. I do not limit myself, therefore to the particular details of construction, arrangement, and operation herein illustrated and described.

What I claim is 1. The combination with printing mech-' anism comprising means for printing at will any one of a plurality of characters, operating means therefor comprising a driver, aplu rality of engagingmeans, and means for moving any one of said engaging means into position for engagement with said driver, of

- locking means for said engagin means which holds any one of the latter w -ch has been operated, in position for engagement until engaged with said driver.

The combination with printing mechanism comprising selecting means, a driver releasing the locking means.

therefor, and engaging means for operatively connecting said selecting means and driver, of operating means for said engaging means, and locking means for holding said engaging means in position for engagement until such engagement is accomphs ed.

3. The combination with printing mechanism comprising selecting means, a driver therefor, and enga ing means for operatively connecting said se ecting means and driver, of operating means for said engaging means, locking means for holding said engaging means in position for engagement until such engagement is accomplished, and means for n printing mechanism comprising selecting means, a driver therefor, and engaging means connected to said selecting means and normally out of, but arranged to be drawn into, position for en- 4. The combination with gagement with said driver, of operating means for said engaging means, and locking means for holding said engaging means in position for engagement with the driver until such engagement is accomplished.

5. The combination with printing mechanism comprising selecting means, a driver therefor, and engaging means connected to said selecting means and normally out of, but arranged to be drawn into, position for engagement with said driver, of operatmg means for said engaging means, locking means for holding said engaging means in position for engagement with the driver until such engagement is accomplished, and means for releasing the locking means.

6. The combination with printing mechanism comprising tnmblers, gear-sectors for l each paw rotating the same, a driver, and pawls carried by said gear-sectors and normally out of engagement with said driver, but arranged to be drawn into position for such engagement, of operating means for said pawls, and looking means for holding each pawl, when the latter is moved into position for engagement with the driver, in such position until engaged by the driver.

7. The combination with printing mechanism comprising tumblers, gear-sectors for rotating the same, a driver, and pawls carried by said gear-sectors and normally out of engagement with said driver, but arranged to be drawn into position for such engagenu-ni. of operating means for said pawls, locking means for holding each pawl, when the latter is moved into position for engagement with the driver, in such position until engaged b y the driver, and means for releasing said locking means,

8. The combination with printing mechanism comprising tumblers, gear-sectors for rotating the same, a driver, and pawls carried by said gear-sectors and normally out of engagement with said driver, but arranged to be drawn into position for such engagement, of operating means for said pawls, locking means for holding each pawl, when the latter is moved into position for engagement with the driver, in such position until engaged by the driver, and means operated bysaid driver for releasing said locking means.

9. The combination with printing mechanism comprising tumblers, gear-sectors for rotating the same, a driver, and pawls carried by said gear-sectors and normally out of engagement with said driver, but arranged to be drawn into position for such engagement, operating means for said pawls, latches for the said pawls adapted to engage and hold each pawl when the latter is moved into position for engagement with the driver, and

means for releasing said latches.

10. The combination with printing mechanism comprising tumblers, gear-s ctors for rotating the same, a driver, and p-rwls carried by said gear-sectors and normally out of engagement with said driver, but arrangcdto be drawn into position for such engagement,

0 crating means for said 'pawls, latches for t e said pawls adapted to engage and hold each pawl when the latter ismoved into position forengagement with the driver, and

means operated by the driverfor releasing said latches. v

11. The combination with printing incchanism comprising tumblers, gear-sectors for rotating the same, a driver, and pnwls car ried by said gear-sectors and normally out of engagement with said driver, but arranged 10 be drawn into position for such engagement, operating means for said pawls, latches for the said awls adapted to engage and hold l when the latter is moved into position-for engagement with the driven-end e of rods for operating. said pewls, spriiiguniversal release-her operated by seiddriver pressed locking-bolts therefor each ade ted to as it moves forward, and arranged when op- 1 engage e-lug on the corresponding r0 when ereted to engage and release Whichever of said rod is depressed, and means operated by 15 5 said latches has been operated; r the driver for releasing saidrods 12. The combination with printing mee11- Intestimony whereof I affix my signature anism comprising tumblers, gee'r seetors for in the presence of two Witnesses. roteting the same, e driver, and pawls eer- JOHN C. BARCLAY. ried by said gear-sectors end normally out of Witnesses: i t

1 6 engagement with said driver, but arranged to B. STEIN,

be drawn into position for such engagement, H. M. MARBLE. 

